Immunology Breakthrough Could Lead to Long-Lasting Flu Vaccine

Researchers may have cracked an important code in the influenza virus, one that may lead to the development of flu vaccines that remain potent for up to 10 years.

Australian scientists showed that a group of immune cells, known as “killer T cells,” have the ability to fight the core genes that underlie all three major influenza strains (A, B, and C). At the moment, a vaccine that activates these killer T cells against the flu would only work in about half the world’s population, as the other half lacks these killer T cells. Researchers are now searching for ways to introduce the killer T cells into those who lack them.